The Waiting Game
by PurpleLittleLady
Summary: She saw the confusion in his eyes as she stared at him with desire. But it had surprised her to see a small flash of desire mirrored in his beautiful blue eyes. It suddenly hit her, she could actually seduce him. Yet, he was not up for grabs, he still belonged to Sakura. So she will continue to play the waiting game. Post Fourth Shinobi War. NaruHina/NaruSaku.
1. Ch0 Prologue

NOTE: This is NOT a 'cheating' fic...despite what it may look like.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or any of its characters, nor am I making any money off of this...though that'd be pretty cool :)

With a start, Naruto shot up in bed, sweat dotting his trembling body. Breathing heavily, he lifting his hand and wiped his forehead as he looked to the empty space beside him in bed. Sadness grew in his eyes at seeing her absence, but how could he blame her? As much as he loved her and as much as she cared for him, loved him, he could not be the man she wanted. Part of him had always wondered and feared her reasons for being with him, was it pity? Loneliness? He touched her heart, claimed a part of it even, but how long can a relationship last when she yearned for another. She hid it well, she smiled and laughed, kissed him with passion when they made love but he has known her for too long to be blind to her deception. Getting up, he pulled on a pair of boxers and walked over to the balcony, her body glowing in the moonlight.

"Sakura?" He asked for her softly, her arms were wrapped around her body as she gazed up at the moon. She didn't reply, she didn't know what to say. She couldn't help how she felt. He was dead and no amount of wishing would bring him back to her. The thought sent her body to trembling and she felt warm, strong arms wrap around her. Arms that belonged to one who has always loved her, not matter what. Arms that belonged to one who will always love her. She was so selfish and she hated it, why couldn't she just be happy? She loved him, she did, and she wanted to make him happy. She just isn't sure if she could.

"Sorry Naruto, let's go back to bed." She said as she turned around and wrapped her arms around his neck, holding him close to herself. She felt his arms tighten around her and she buried her face in his neck. She would do her best to love him the way he should, to make him happy like he deserved. It was the least she could do for him…and for the one who truly loved him the most.

Climbing back into their bed, Sakura turned to her side with her back to Naruto, feeling his arms snake around her body to pull her close to him. As the minutes passed, she heard his breath slowly even into sleep, but her eyes refused to close. She wondered, as she often did when she couldn't sleep, how different life might have been like had Sasuke not died. Would it be his arms wrapped around her right now? Would the woman in Naruto's arms be one with pale eyes instead of green? Sakura wished she didn't feel jealous at the thought; she was such a selfish person. Her love for Naruto was nothing compared to _her_ love. And yet Naruto didn't choose her, despite her confession, despite her encouragement on the battlefield. She wondered if Hinata hated her, deep down inside.

Turning around in his arms, Sakura gazed at his sleep-relaxed face. Lifting her hand, she gently traced his whiskers with her fingers. _Why did you choose me Naruto? Why didn't you choose her? What is it about me that you love? You know that I could never give my whole heart to you, how could I possibly make you happy? I wish I could love you the way you love me. I wish I could love you the way Hinata loves you._

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The rain fell heavily, darkening the stone, making it more difficult to read all the names carved in it. Water soaked her hair and started to penetrate her layers of clothing, and the fingers clutching the single white flower were numb from the cold but she was blind to it all except for one name. Hyuuga Neji. It was still difficult to believe he was no longer with her. They had gone through so much together; she had always assumed that they would always be in each other's lives. She missed him so much more than she expected.

"Neji-nii-san." She whispered his name, remembering the first time they had met, the first time she had gathered her courage to confront him, the first time he saved her life…and the last. Part of her mind heard and focused on the footsteps in the distance making their way closer, focusing on the chakra signature. Relief and comfort flew through her as she recognized the chakra of the one she had dedicated her life to, the one Neji died to protect.

Turning her eyes away from the stone she watched the blond young man walking with a white flower in his grasp as well. She knew immediately who he was here for and felt sadness fill her heart. He didn't look up, only staring at his feet taking one step at a time. She wondered if he knew she was already here or if he was so wrapped up in his depression that he missed her completely. Did he want privacy? Unsure of what to do, she stepped behind the stone and sat down out of view. She wouldn't disturb him.

"Sasuke." Naruto whispered once he got to the stone, setting the flower down. He sighed deeply as he looked up, barely seeing the village from this vantage point. "I don't know what to do."

Over a thousand times he wished that Sasuke was alive, over a thousand times he wished things were different. He didn't know that the road to get to his dream would cost him so many people that he loved and cared for. He had made a silent promise to himself, and to Sasuke, that he would do all in his power to take care of Sakura, to protect her and her happiness. He was starting to wonder if that was going to be one promise he was not going to be able to fulfill. She's been pushing herself more than usual lately, her emerald eyes just didn't have the same life in them as they used to.

"Tell me what to do Sasuke. I don't know what to do…you were the only one who ever made her truly happy." Naruto's voice cracked with anguish, clenching his hands into fists at his side.

"I can't make her happy...I can't make anyone happy." He whispered softly, letting the rain wash down his face, mixing with his tears. Suddenly, he felt a pair of small and slender arms wrap around him from behind.

"That's not true Naruto-kun." He heard, determination and pain coloring the soft voice. He lifted his hands to cover hers, trying to draw strength from her, the one who was always encouraging him. "You bring happiness to so many people. Our village would not be here if it wasn't for you."

"Hinata." He said her name softly, he was so grateful for her. Sometimes it felt like she knew him better than anyone, she always seemed to have the right words. Grasping her hands, he gently lifted them off of himself and turned. Her long dark hair was sticking to her wet face, she looked like she had been out in the rain for hours. Her cheeks and the tip of her nose were red but her eyes were filled with concern for him.

"Thank you Hinata." He said, producing a small smile on her behalf. He didn't like to worry her. But she continued to gaze at him, and he had a feeling that they pierced through him. As much as he cared for her, it still disturbed him, it felt as if she could gaze right into his soul.

"Have you ever thought…perhaps…what she needs is for you to…let her go?" Hinata asked him hesitantly, lowered her gaze to the ground. She was not doing this to sabotage their relationship, at least she truly hoped so. Because she was nice, most people believed she was incapable of being selfish, but she was only human. Her and Sakura had come to a silent understanding, she had acknowledged that Naruto didn't care for her in the way he did for Sakura, and so had entrusted his happiness to the pink haired woman. But she was not blind to their relationship. She did not follow Naruto like she did as a child, but instead paid attention to the emotions in his eyes, how he held himself, what he said and how he said it. It had only been a year, and to her, their relationship was already crumbling.

"What!?" Naruto snapped, anger gathering in his blue eyes. Hinata flinched and wish she hadn't said anything.

"I love her Hinata, I'm not going to let her go." He said with a hard voice before walking past her, leaving her behind. Her lips trembled as she felt the warmth of her tears on her cheeks mixing with the coolness of the rain. Why couldn't she be more tactful? Why did she always have to say, bluntly, the things she saw? The last time she did, it was Neji lashing out at her, full of anger. And now, because of her thoughtless words, she had hurt Naruto.

Unable to stand there by herself, Hinata suddenly took off in a run, sprinting to an old and rarely used training site. She punched the wooden pole with all her might, kicked it repeatedly, blooding her hands and bruising her legs. But the pain helped distract her from the growing heartache in her chest. Relentless, she continued until there just was no energy left, no tears left, collapsing on the field in blessed unconsciousness.

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AN: So I know I should finish my other story before starting another one...but I just can't help it. This will be my first attempt at a slow blooming love story, so bear with me. I usually love to rush into things, but I'm tire of reading fics like that, so I'm gonna try and tell my idea of a good NaruHina. Well, at least I hope it'll be good. To those Sasuke lovers, I'm sorry I killed him off, but in all honesty, I don't think he'll survive to the end of the manga. My sister and I have bets that he's gonna die, lol. Anyways, some lovin' is always appreciated. Thanks for reading!


	2. Ch1 The Break

Wow...I can't remember the last time I was flamed. So it really caught me by surprise. But I'm not the insecure little girl I use to be, if you flame, I will reply back to you and politely offer my argument against your rude ignorant comments until we reach an understanding or until your stupidity wows me to the point of speechlessness.

A HUGE thank you to** MiNKy307** and** kenni no.1** for your encouragement! I hope I can continue to provide you with a story you will enjoy and will do my best not to disappoint you.

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Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of it's characters, nor do I make any money off of this fic...though that'd be pretty cool :)

Naruto slammed the door behind him as he walked into the apartment, still upset. He couldn't believe Hinata would say such a thing, it was so unlike her. What the hell was she thinking? He practically ripped the shoes off his feet as he went straight for the bathroom. Leaving the cold, wet clothes on the bathroom floor, he turned on the shower and stood under the steaming water warming his body. Hinata, to his knowledge, had always shown support for his relationship with Sakura. Despite what others thought, he had not forgotten Hinata's confession to him when fighting against Pain. And he was grateful for her encouragement after Neji had died, without her words he would have lost his way. But even he knew that friendship and gratefulness were no substitutes for love…and the one he loved was not her.

He sighed deeply, releasing his anger. It was unlike her to try to break up a relationship; he just couldn't believe that those were her intensions. He didn't know why she would say what she had said, but he was sure it was only because she cared about him. He had never really thought about it, because it made him feel awkward, but he wondered how she felt deep down inside seeing him with Sakura. He knew, from experience, that pain could make you say the most hurtful things. Was that why Hinata said that? Was it because she was in pain?

Walking out of the shower and pulling on some clean and dry clothes, he heard some noise in the kitchen. Walking in that direction, he saw Sakura washing some dishes that were left over from the day before. Picking up a dry towel, he made his way over and grabbed a dish and started to dry it, looking at her. He opened his mouth to say something, but then noticed her eyes…it looked like she had been crying. Shutting his mouth quickly again, he looked away. Had she cried because of him?

"Naruto…" Sakura sighed deeply, silent for several moments. "I need a break." He paused for a moment, unsure of what she was really saying. He put away the plate before turning around and looking at her with confusion. She certainly looked tired.

"Do you want me to finish washing the rest of the dishes?" He asked, wondering if she wanted to take a nap. Sakura closed her eyes with frustration before turning around and wiping her hands quickly. Bringing her hands to her head, she rubbed her temples, trying to focus on not blowing up at him. She took several deep breaths and turned back to him, aware of the large space between them.

"No Naruto…I mean from us. I need a break from us." She said, looking into his blue eyes making sure he knew she was serious. It had been a couple months since he had found her on the balcony and had promised herself that she would do her best to love him like he deserved. But she found it draining and started to look forward to the longer missions she would get, ones that lasted at least a week or two instead of a few days.

"Oh." Was all he could say, his mind was a complete blank. He didn't know what to think, he didn't know what to feel, let alone what to say. He found it difficult to breathe and heard his heart pounding in his ears. He hoped she wasn't expecting an answer from him right away, because he honestly couldn't give one.

"I'm not necessarily saying that…we're over, but…" Sakura sighed, "I asked for a long term mission today."

"How long?" He asked, really only able to focus on this part of their conversation.

"…ten months." She replied softly, wrapping her arms around herself and looking out the window to the dark clouds and the rain pouring. Naruto shut his eyes as Hinata's last words echoed through his head. _Perhaps what she needs is for you to let her go._ For the first time, he actually thought about that statement. Is that what Sakura wanted? For him to let her go?

"When do you leave?" he asked softly, it was still difficult to breathe.

"In two days." She replied just as quietly.

"You're going to be gone almost a year…but you're not breaking up with me?" Naruto asked in a hard voice. He was starting to get angry. What the hell did she want from him? Did she want to be with him or did she not want to be with him? It was reminding him of the times that Sasuke had been away. Sometimes she treated him so differently, like she might have actually liked him. And then Sasuke would arrive and he suddenly didn't exist to her. This back and forth crap was seriously pissing him off. Naruto looked back at her when she continued to remain quiet, she didn't look at him. Frustrated, he quickly went over to her and roughly grabbed her arms.

"Look at me." He commanded angrily. She pursed her lips together and clenched her teeth, reminding herself that it was going to be hard on him, that what she was asking wasn't fair. Turning her head, she looked straight at him. His eyes showed his anger, frustration, and hurt, her heart lurched in her chest at what she was putting him through.

"What do you want?" Naruto asked slowly, clipping his words. She paused.

"I don't know." Sakura answered softly, honestly.

"Do you love me?" He asked, but then suddenly scared of her answer. He almost didn't want to hear. This whole situation wasn't fair!

"Yes…" Sakura answered, her lips trembling as she could feel tears form in her eyes, "…I don't know."

"Sakura!" he yelled, pissed. What the hell kind of answer was that?!

"Arg! That's why I need to leave! I need time to figure things out!" she screamed back as she shook his arms off of her. She ran her hand through her hair as she struggled not to cry. She was in limbo just as much as him, couldn't he understand that?! It's not like she wanted to feel this torn!

"And you want me to wait for you until you come back?!" He flung the words at her as if she was crazy. She stiffened as she whirled back to face him.

"Do _you_ want to end this?" She asked breathlessly, completely shocked. It never crossed her mind that he would leave her. It never crossed her mind that he wouldn't wait for her, that he wouldn't do as she asked. He always did what she asked him, even when she didn't ask him, when it came to serious situations. He had always been there for her, had always love her, it never occurred to her that he would willingly find someone else. Naruto's hands clenched as he glared at her for several moments, silent.

"No." he said softly, looking away from her. "I love you Sakura, even now…I would never leave you."

"I know." She said, looking away as well. "I know what I'm asking is unreasonable and not fair to you but…" she trailed off, leaving her sentence hanging.

"I don't want to let you go, but I need time to figure things out." She didn't know what else to say. Naruto looked back to her, seeing the pain in her stance and frowned, he always hated seeing her in pain. Walking to her he grabbed her arms again, this time gently.

"I'll wait for you." He said before lightly touching her chin to make her look at him. He could see the confusion, desperation, and pain in her emerald eyes. "I promise."

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AN: I don't know about you guys, but I have been in a similar situation as Sakura. Kinda. I'm not very good at description but I hope I was able to get across that it's not always easy to truly know what you want. And that it's an all around sucky situation for everyone, including the person who can't make up their mind. Sakura is actually one of the characters I like the least, I really can't stand her. But I'm trying my best to write her in a decent light while still showing her wishy washiness that I can't stand. Anyways, some loving reviews is always appreciated, or constructive criticism :)


	3. Ch2 No Rest for the Weary

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or it's characters, fortunately :D

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Tenten yawned and rubbed her eyes feeling exhausted. It was just after dawn, she had just finished a mission and was on her way home from the Hokage building when she noticed in the distance a body lying on the ground in front of a training log. She smiled, she always admired those who worked so hard on their training that they just fell unconscious to the ground afterwards. It showed dedication and determination, wonderful qualities to have in a shinobi. But as she got closer she had a nagging feeling that the outfit was somewhat familiar until she suddenly realized that it was Hinata that was lying on the ground. A shot of concern flashed through her, it was obvious that it had rained hard all night. She rushed over to the sleeping woman.

"Hinata, Hinata wake up." Tenten said, shaking the Hyuuga awake. Her brown eyes noting that the bulking jacket was soaked and freezing to the touch, she put at hand to Hinata's forehead as she started to open her eyes. Thankfully she was not burning up with a fever.

"Tenten?" Hinata asked, groggy and confused. She was freezing and felt wet all over, what was going on?

"It looks like you fell asleep after training in the rain. Are you crazy? You could get sick! And I was told to find you and tell you to report to the Hokage office." Tenten scolded her. Hinata rose into a sitting position, rubbing her eyes. Stinging pain shot through her hand, confusing her even more. Looking down at her hand, her knuckles were swollen and purple with scabs starting to form where the skin was broken. She suddenly remembered just why she had hit the log so intensely and why she had fallen asleep outside in the rain.

"I'm sorry Tenten, I didn't mean to fall asleep out here." Hinata replied as she slowly started to stand, her body stiff and sore. "I'll go home to change before I go see Tsunade-sama."

Tenten eyed her suspiciously; there was something off about Hinata. She seemed almost sad somehow but she wasn't completely sure.

"Are you okay Hinata? I mean…are you troubled somehow?" Tenten asked hesitantly. Hinata just smiled and grabbed her hand, squeezing it gently.

"I'm just tired Tenten, thanks though." Hinata said, at least it was partially true. She felt absolutely exhausted, body, mind, and soul. Walking away, she waved to Tenten before making her way back to the Hyuuga compound. Sometimes it struck her heart painfully to walk through the new compound; there was no more segregation among Main house members and Branch house members. Neji would have been so proud of their clan; she wished he was here to see it, though she supposed in a way he did. After taking a quick hot shower and changing into a dry set of clothes, she made her way to the Hokage building. It was unofficial but she had heard that Naruto was going to start working directly under Tsunade at the end of the year, to learn about the position.

"You wanted to see me Tsunade-sama." Hinata stated, looking at the blond woman who looked like she was definitely having a hang over.

"Yes, I have a mission I need you for. There has been a severe virus spreading through several villages in our country as well as two other countries that we have an alliance with. Sakura and her medical team had just finished creating a vaccine. I need you, along with your partner, to go to each of the villages distributing it. It might take you two a couple of months. I made sure that the ones you reach first had the most serious cases." Tsunade informed her.

"When do I leave?" she asked, thankful for the long mission. After what she had said to Naruto last night, she wanted to get away for a while.

"After you get vaccinated. Go over to the hospital, Sakura will hand you your half of the vaccination vials. You're to leave as soon as you're packed." Tsunade replied, handling over a scroll giving more specific detail of the mission.

"Oh and Naruto will meet you at the gate once you're ready." She told her as an after thought. Hinata's body stiffened, hoping that her suspicions were incorrect.

"Naruto?" she asked, her voice coming out as a squeak. She cheeks flushed pink at the sound on her voice.

"Yes, Naruto is your partner for this mission." Tsunade explained to her. Without a word, Hinata nodded woodenly and slowly walked out. Oh why did this have to happen to her? After what she had said to him last night, she was probably the last person he would want to go on a mission with, especially one that would take a couple months! She wanted to cry, he was probably still so mad at her. She hoped that he didn't hate her, she wouldn't be able to stand that.

"H-hello Sakura-chan." Hinata greeted her as pleasantly as she could, she didn't know if Naruto told her about their conversation last night. She didn't want both of her friends to be mad at her, she wished again that she had kept her mouth shut.

"Hey Hinata-chan, Tsunade-sama told me about your mission. Have a seat there." Sakura said, pushing away her sadness. She was at work, now was the time to be professional, something she prided herself on. But as she gently administered the vaccine into Hinata's body, she couldn't stop herself from discretely looking at the pale eyed woman, feeling a sliver of jealousy.

"How's Naruto-kun?" Hinata finally asked, unable to bear the suspense of not knowing if he was still mad at her or not.

"Ummm," Sakura hesitated in answering. She didn't like to share their private moments, especially the conversation they had last night. But she didn't want to lie to Hinata, especially since she will be with Naruto for a couple months. Naruto always had a tendency to allow his emotions to control his actions, maybe she should warn her.

"He…may not be all that great to be around. If he acts like a jerk I'm sorry…we…we kinda had a fight last night." Sakura confessed, putting the syringe away in the sharps box before grabbing a small cardboard box. Placing the box gently down on the Hyuuga's lap, she smiled slightly.

"This is your half of the vaccines, Naruto already has his." Sakura said as she watched Hinata take the box and tuck it under one arm. Hinata then gently grabbed her shoulder, earnestly looking into her green eyes.

"I'm genuinely sorry about your fight with Naruto, you know that right?" Hinata asked her, she need Sakura to know that she cared about both of them and that she truly didn't resent her. Sakura took her hand off her shoulder, but squeezed it gently.

"I know." She smiled, "And thank you for…giving Naruto what I struggle to give him." Sakura admitted, full of shame and jealousy. But then then she also felt her hand being squeezed gently. Looking up, she saw Hinata looking at her with a mixture of sadness, love, and acceptance. Without another word, Hinata let go of Sakura's hand and walked out of the hospital. A moment of weakness. That's all she could say to explain why she had told Naruto to let Sakura go. It was a moment a weakness on her part, letting her hopeless wish get away from her. She hoped that Naruto would be able to forgive her.

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AN: Thank you to my lovely reviewers: **Animeprincess2001** (yes this is a NaruHina, please bear with me, I'm leading up to it), **YungHime**, **kenni no. 1**, and even **LolaTheSa** (lol). I know this seems slow moving and that there isn't a lot of NaruHina but we're still at the beginning of the journey. We'll have some NaruHina moments in the next few (or several...haven't written them yet) chapters. I'll see you all next week!


	4. Ch3 Mission

Disclaimer: Don't own Naruto or its characters, never have, never will.

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"Alright Hinata! Let's go save those villages!" Naruto yelled enthusiastically, punching an arm in the air before taking off in a flash. Hinata followed closely behind him, but this time she did not smile at his antics. She nibbled on her lip, she has watched him for years, she could tell when his smile was over bright and his laugh a little too forced. Sakura was right; he was not in a good mood. But was that because of their fight last night or because he was forced to go on a mission with her right after she had offended him? Or maybe both? Was she the cause of their fight?

It was going to take a few days to get to their first village, up in the north, but that was only if the weather continued to stay reasonably dry. Traveling through mist or light rain wasn't going to stop them, but if it was a serious downpour or snow, they were going to have to stop. She hoped that the whole trip wasn't going to remain in this awkward silence. They had been running for several hours already but the tenseness in his shoulders remained. She sighed quietly, she had wanted to apologize to him when she had met him at the gate but before she could get a word out he had shouted earnestly and took off. Tonight, she would apologize to him tonight when they stopped to make camp.

Naruto frowned as his mind replayed the argument he had with Sakura last night, her words were slowing sinking in his brain, finally getting over the shock. He didn't know that she was so unhappy that she wanted to be away from him for so long. What did he do? What did he not do? And he didn't even get to say goodbye to her in the way he wanted. He wished he was given more time to think about what she had said and the decision she had made. But by the time he found out about this mission, she was already at the hospital at work. The most she would allow him was a quick hug and a hushed goodbye. He sighed deeply; he just didn't know what to do.

Several hours after the sun went down, Naruto finally dropped down from the tree tops and landed on the ground. They were in a small clearing, only enough room to pitch a tent and get a small fire going. They were instructed to travel at a fast pace, but there was no point pushing them to the point of exhaustion. They would get to the villages soon enough. Naruto asked Hinata to cook a quick meal as he pitched their tent and rolled out their sleeping bags. After a few minutes, his nose immediately picked up the irresistible smell of ramen. His stomach suddenly growled as his mouth watered.

"You brought ramen?" He asked her, his mood picking up slightly as he turned towards her. She smiled as she chuckled silently to herself. Trust Naruto to leave almost all his troubles behind once he smelled his favorite food.

"I only brought a few, so if you want to save them I suggest we go fishing tomorrow." Hinata answered, handing him the Styrofoam cup and a pair of chopsticks.

"You're the best Hinata!" He said, almost giddy with happiness. It felt like it had been months since he had ramen, instead of a week. He was halfway done slurping up the noodles when she finally spoke again. The sadness in her voice pulling away from the bliss of his meal.

"I'm really sorry Naruto…about what I had said last night." Hinata said softly, almost in a whisper as she gazed into the small fire. "I don't know why I had said such a thing…please…please forgive me."

Naruto looked at her, her face was full of anguish, shame, and sorrow. Her cup of ramen was still untouched, her legs pulled into her chest with her arms wrapped around them, looking as if she wished she could be invisible. He had actually nearly forgotten about his short conversation with her in front of the memorial stone the other night, his mind full of the separation between him and Sakura.

Naruto's heart pounded strongly in his chest, he didn't like to see Hinata in such pain. He knew now that the reason why he was so offended was because her words had reached the heart of his insecurities and fears. He supposed he shouldn't have been so shocked, her eyes always seemed to see everything, and her encouraging words had always addressed the exact problem he was facing. Why would it be any different with his feelings and relationship with Sakura?

"It's okay Hinata. I'm sorry I came off as a big jerk." He replied sheepishly. Her eyes finally left the fire and looked at him, hope most apparent in her eyes. He wanted those eyes to look at him with happiness instead of sadness.

"Hey come on Hinata! You're one of my best friends; I can't stay mad at you forever!" He said with a small laugh and for some reason, it felt like a small weight was lifted off his shoulders. It usually always felt the same when he was with her and he was feeling frustrated or down. For some reason he always felt invincible when she was with him. Maybe it was because she believed in him like no one else did…or at least no one alive. Her confidence in him reminded him of the words his father had said to him when he doubted himself.

Hinata smiled at him full of relief, he didn't hate her. Picking up her now lukewarm ramen, they continued to finish their meal quickly, this time the air between them comfortable and relaxed. Once finished, they put out the fire and climbed into their sleeping bags, both feeling exhausted from their emotional ordeals. Hinata tried to calm her quick heartbeat, she couldn't remember the last time they had shared a tent. Every mission that she had with him had been short or they would be in different locations, coordinating together. Taking a deep breath, she shook her head, if she was going to keep up with his fast pace she was going to need her sleep.

As soon awareness seeped into her mind as she slowly woke up she knew immediately that she was sick. She couldn't breathe through her nose at all, her face felt hot, her throat felt like it was on fire, and she had a pounding headache. Hinata berated herself once again for stupidly falling sleep in the rain, lowering her immune system _and_ she was just vaccinated! She wanted to scream at herself, this was going to be a horrible mission.

"Wake up Hinata-chan, we have to leave in fifteen minutes." She heard Naruto call to her from outside of the tent. She moaned to herself, he was already up, which probably meant her let her sleep in a few minutes. Without opening her eyes, she grabbed her toiletries and rolled onto her side. Fighting down the lethargy in her limbs, she pushed herself up and out of the tent. Walking a few yards, she stepped behind a tree as she got herself ready for the torturous day ahead of her.

Naruto slowed their pace slightly, noticing the struggle Hinata was having at keeping up with him. He wondered why, when she had no problems the day before. But he shrugged and just figured it was because she was still tired. Maybe she didn't sleep very well last night, goodness knows he didn't. He kept having nightmares of being alone again, not having anyone special in his life, not having someone to love…and not being loved by anyone. It was a future he hoped with his whole heart to avoid. They traveled silently the next several days, but Naruto felt lighter than he did that first day. He didn't know what was going to happen between Sakura and himself, but being in Hinata's presence made him feel like he will eventually come up with something. He'll be able to save his relationship, he just knew it.

Finally they came up onto their first destination; this particular village was hit the hardest with the virus. They walked into the hospital and were amazed at what they saw, there were gurneys everywhere! Sick people lined the walls and every corridor was packed! Hinata had quickly found the head nurse, being much more familiar with hospitals than Naruto since she volunteered there on her time off. They soon found themselves in an office staring at a haggard looking doctor; the poor man looked like he hadn't slept in years.

"Sensei." The nurse called to him, catching his attention. He looked up at Naruto's hitaiate quickly before shooting out of his chair.

"Konaha shinobi, please tell me you two are carrying a cure." He pleaded as he suddenly rushed to their sides. Hinata held out two vials, pressing them into his hands.

"Here are the vaccines that our head medical personnel developed. You have a way to copy and mass produce them?" Hinata asked, doing her best to talk as normally as possible. Her throat burned immensely and her nose was still stuffy despite the medication she took. She shied away from the possibility that they would have to stop several days for her to recover, there were so many people suffering much more than her, she needed to get this vaccine to them as soon as possible.

"Yes, yes, thank you so much!" the doctor replied with joyous relief. He excused himself as he handled a few vials to the nurse before they almost ran out the door and down the hall to get the vaccines to the labs. Hinata sighed with relief, she saw the nurse looking at her carefully, sure that the woman noticed her illness. She didn't want anyone to know about her condition, thankful that Naruto never paid close enough attention to her to notice.

"Alright, let's get going to the next village. Tsunade-obaa-chan set it up so that we started off with the villages that need the vaccine the most. So the next one shouldn't be as bad as this one at least." Naruto explained to her, walking out of the hospital before picking his pace up at a run, anxious to get to the next village. However, Hinata was only able to last two days.

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AN: Yay, finally some NaruHina!...well at least Naruto and Hinata together lol. Sorry for the slow and long wait to see them together, I know last chapter was a bit of a filler chapter (already). Thank you thank you SO much to my lovely reviewers from last chapter: **YungHime**, **Ayrmed**, **kenni no. 1**, **Jen**, and **Animeprincess2001**. Thank you so much for your encouragement and feedback! Please continue to read and review, I love to hear from you guys and sometimes you guys even give me ideas for the story that I didn't think of. And in the words of Markiplier, "I'll see you in the next [chapter], bye bye!"


	5. Ch4 Don't Cross the Line

Disclaimer: Don't own Naruto or its characters, trust me, it's better that way lol.

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Naruto woke up with a start, lifting his arms instinctively to protect his head from getting hit. Scooting away quickly he watched as Hinata thrashed in her sleep. Confused, Naruto dodged one of her arms as he drew closer. His eyes widened with shock and worry, he didn't even need to touch her to know she was burning up with a massive fever. Grabbing a small towel he immediately sprinted for the stream not far away from camp. Soaking the towel he rung out the excessive water on his way back to the tent.

He had to gather her in his arms to keep her arms pinned to her side so she wouldn't hit him in order to place the towel on her forehead. But as he held her, he could feel his own body heating up quickly. Her fever was too high, a cold towel wasn't going to cut it. Quickly relieving her of her jacket he lifted her in his arms with difficulty; she was still thrashing about, as he made his way to the stream. Living with Sakura had taught him a few things about the body. He didn't know what she was sick with, but he knew that if he didn't bring down her high fever quickly, it would make irreparable damage to her brain.

"Dammit Hinata, why didn't you tell me?" He growled aloud as he stepped into the cool water slowly. He could feel small goosebumps rise along his skin from the temperature as he kept walking until he was waist deep, though thankfully it wasn't freezing. Then kneeling, he slowly lowered her body into the water, keeping her head and neck from getting wet. Slowly her body started to relax as she almost visibly sighed as her eyes started to open. They were glassy and almost vacant as they looked around before reaching up to his blue ones.

"Naruto-kun?" she rasped, her voice horse and painful sounding. He felt like kicking himself, how could he not notice how sick she was?!

"Are you cold?" he asked her urgently, she closed her eyes and shivered in his arms, effectively answering him. Lifting her out of the water, he walked back to their campsite. Without letting her go, he rummaged through her bag until he found a towel. Before pulling it out, he felt her body go slack in his arms. Panicked, he lifted his hand to her throat; she still had a pulse though it was beating fast. She must have fallen asleep…or fainted. Good, because he doubted she would want him to do this to her when she was conscious.

Leaning her body against his, he quickly relieved her of her wet clothes and wrapped the towel around her. Lying her down on her sleeping bag, he quickly lifted his shirt over his head and pulled on a dry pair of boxers before coming back to her side. He patted her dry and went back to her bag. He grabbed a white bra and flushed, he didn't think he would get that on her very well. Putting that back in her bag, he pulled out pale blue panties, making him blush again. Oh it seemed so wrong to go through her underwear; he hoped she wouldn't hate him later.

Going back to her, he lifted her gently, taking away the towel and hurriedly put her underwear on and then put her in one of his own shirts. At least it was big enough that he could only see her legs. Putting her back down he unzipped both of their sleeping bags, using hers to sleep on and his as a heavy blanket. Lying down on his side next to her, he gathered her in his arms, tangling their legs and holding her close. It wasn't until he finally had them settled did she open her eyes again.

"Naruto-kun?" she asked him, looking up at him with confusion. He held her tighter to him, looking at her with concern.

"Your fever doesn't feel as bad as it did, but we're not out of the woods yet." He said softly, she closed her eyes again.

"I'm sorry for being such a burden." She said softly, her voice still horse. Naruto lifted one of his hands and brushed it through her hair.

"You're no such thing." He whispered, hoping fervently that he could help her break her fever. "Just go to sleep Hinata."

She nodded her head before nuzzling her face in his neck, making herself comfortable. She hazily noticed how wonderful it felt to be so close to him, wrapped in his arms, before she fell asleep. Naruto closed his eyes, inhaling the smell of her hair; it was floral but not roses. He didn't know flowers very well so he didn't know what kind of flowers she smelled like, but it was nice, subtle and not overpowering. He willed her to get better, not even allowing himself to wonder what he was going to do if she didn't improve. He'll run and carry her all the way back to Konaha if he had to, he was not going to lose her.

The heat from her body was a little too uncomfortable for him to fall asleep so he found himself going through his times with Sakura and what they were going to do. What if she wanted to leave him? Should he fight her if that was her decision? Or should he let her go like Hinata suggested? He remembered the first time he fell in love with Sakura. Her emerald eyes and pink hair were just so beautiful, and she was so smart and confident. For years he though she genuinely hated him though, until they were put on a team together. It made him laugh and smile and shiver in fear, to discover that she used her fists to show her affection for him. And the years that Sasuke had been away, he could sometimes swear that she loved him, at least a little.

It was bittersweet when Sasuke arrived to help them in the war, their team coming back together for the last time. He was so happy that his best friend was back, but he was torn with Sakura's reaction. He loved it when she was happy, but she never once gave him the smile she would give Sasuke. It was the weirdest feeling, having joy and jealousy war within you.

"Naruto-kun." Hinata whispered, drawing his attention back to her. Her eyes were still closed, a frown knitting her brows together; she was still asleep. He didn't quite know how to feel about the fact that she was dreaming about him. It was embarrassing and yet he found himself smiling slightly. Hinata was so different compared to Sakura. Where Sakura was loud, Hinata was quiet. They were almost like polar opposites. Sakura was like his sun, lighting up his life brightly, warming him up though burning him sometimes. Whereas, despite her name, Hinata was…she was more like the moon. She gave off more of a soft glow instead of blazing light, mysterious and hiding herself like the moon hid from the earth every now and then.

Her cheeks were pink from her fever, yet most of his memories of her were with pink cheeks. She had seemed so odd to him, his complete opposite. She was so shy most of time he had trouble hearing her, if she could even string a full sentence around him. He thought for a while that she didn't like him, she would just stare at him and barely spoke. But when he saw her struggle in the Chuunin exams against Neji…he thought that maybe she wasn't as different from him as he supposed. It pleasantly surprised him to discover her confidence in him. And it shocked him to the core when she nearly died trying to save him from Pain, a fight she had already known she couldn't possibly win, and confess her feelings to him. He had absolutely no idea that she felt that way about him. He was confused on how he felt, he had never had someone tell him those words before, she was the first.

Lifting his hand, he used his finger to gently stroke her skin where her frown was, and after a while he watched her face relax again. She was pretty. Her skin was like strawberries and crème right now and silky to the touch. He lowered his hand but, to his surprise, she stopped him and instead directed his hand to cup her cheek before opening her eyes. This time her gaze wasn't glassy or vacant, they were clear and direct.

"Hinata?" He was about to ask how she was doing when her eyes lowered slightly. He squirmed inside, uncomfortable; it was obvious she was staring at his mouth. "Umm."

Her eyes lifted back up to his and heat suddenly shot through him. If he was his younger self he would not have been able to name that emotion in her eyes. But he wasn't a boy anymore and he knew exactly what was shining in her eyes. It was blatant desire. It was so obvious, never had she been so easy to read. Naruto suddenly became aware of every part of his body that was touching hers. And he couldn't look away either, she wouldn't let him. He could feel his hand on her cheek start to tremble, the force of her stare, the intensity of the desire in their depths made him breathless. Sakura had never looked at him like this, even when they made love, she would close her eyes or turn her face away. She would never look at him. Naruto stiffened when she started to sit up, drawing her face closer to his, his hand on her cheek sliding into her hair. His heart pounded when she caressed his cheek with her own, bringing her fever hot lips to his ear.

"Naruto-kun…" He closed his eyes when she said his name softly, his breath caught in his throat and his heart pounding. "My arm's asleep."

"What?" that drew him up short.

"My arm…it's kinda…pinned under you." She explained, looking away. He looked down, and indeed, her forearm and hand was under him with his weight cutting off the circulation. He let go of her immediately and moved away. Lifting her hand up to her chest, she flexed her hand and shook it out trying to get the blood flowing back into her fingers.

"Sorry." He mumbled before lying back down, this time with his back to her. He had no idea what the hell just happened. Did he imagine it? Did he imagine the desire in her eyes?

"I'm cold." She whispered so softly he barely heard her before her arms wrapped around him, pulling her body against him. She breathed a silent breath of relief when he didn't push her away. It wasn't necessarily a lie, she was cold though she could still tell that she had a fever. Maybe she did have brain damage from her fever, because she couldn't believe what had just happened. She had dreamed of Naruto's wedding…to Sakura. It upset her so much more than she expected, but when she opened her eyes he was there with her. It wasn't Sakura in his arms right now, it was her. She couldn't help the desire she felt, his body was so close to hers, their legs tangled together, and she has wanted him for _so_ long.

She saw the confusion in his eyes, his shock as she stared at him with her desire in her eyes. She had always hid it well but now she was letting him see, see how much she wanted him, how she longed for him with every fiber of her being. What had surprised her though was the small flash of desire mirrored in his beautiful blue eyes. It suddenly hit her, at this very moment he was within her grasp. She could seduce him; there was a small part of him that wanted her, at least physically. She had nearly almost made up her mind to do just that when she whispered his name into his ear. But when she had closed her eyes, Sakura's face flashed through her mind, he was not up for grabs. He still belonged to Sakura, just because they had a fight didn't mean they weren't together. And then the rest of her senses came back to her, she wanted so much more from him than just a physical relationship. It was his heart she was after, not his body. After feeling the warmth and hard planes of his body, it was just too difficult to give it up so quickly.

"Are you asleep?" Hinata whispered softly, knowing full well that he wasn't. His body was still tense and his breaths were uneven. She closed her eyes and forced her hands to not caress him.

"No." he answered, still reeling from the shock of desire that had shot through him. He had never felt that way for anyone but Sakura, it felt weird to feel that way, even for a little bit towards someone else.

"Sakura said you two had a fight." She said, unsure if it was right for her to bring it up. She was dying with curiosity, was it her fault? Was it because of what she had told him that night? "Do…do you want to…talk about it?"

Talking about Sakura and his now messed up relationship with her was the last thing he wanted to do, especially in the arms of another woman, making him feel like he was being unfaithful. He had told Sakura that he would wait for her, that he would never leave her, why did being in Hinata's arms feel like a betrayal? It wasn't like he loved her like that. And it wasn't like he was going to have sex with her, he held her in his arms to help bring down her fever.

"Sorry Hinata…I don't really want to talk about it." He told her honestly, silence filling the air between them.

"It's…it's not because of me is it?" He heard her soft voice asked. He suddenly felt her tense behind him.

"I-I-I mean…n-not like…umm…my words. I-It's wasn't…what I said t-to you…was it?" she stuttered and stammered and he found himself smiling, the sexual tension leaving him. That was the Hinata he knew, the Hinata he remembered, the one who could barely string a full sentence in his presence.

"No it wasn't. Don't worry." He answered, lifting his hands and to cover hers over his stomach. It was suddenly comforting being in her arms. She nodded her head against him and remained silent. Her body warmed up his back but her heat wasn't overpowering anymore and he found himself starting to fall asleep. _What a crazy night this has been_.

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AN: Yay a longer chapter! And some tension, hehehe. I was pleasantly surprised by how many reviews I got. Maybe I'll get more reviews if I keep writing more NaruHina for you guys? I know you've been really patient with me and my slow pace, and I really thank you guys! Especially to **Ayrmed **(again, yay), **ChosenMibhar**, **gareth18569**, **Flameraven1**, **Animeprincess2001** (again, yay), **YungHime** (again, yay), **guest** (stop trolling), **imafangirlsowhat**, **mrpeeples**, **wheathermangohanssj4**, and **Mai**. This was chapter actually is what first inspired me to write this story. Hinata wants Naruto, Naruto realizes (kinda) that he could want Hinata, Naruto is still Sakura's (for the time being), and Sakura isn't bashed. So please continue to be patient with me as this story slowly reveals its details to me. And thank you again for the reviews! It fills my heart with warmth and love...unless your trolling, in which case go away and find yourself some bill goats to eat (don't understand reference? Google it).


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